The present invention relates to an embroidering machine, and in particular to an automatically operated embroidering machine in which a frame holding a work piece is to be moved relative to a needle of a sewing mechanism in order to establish an embroidery on the work piece.
In general, in a conventional embroidering machine of this type, needle locations are previously designated and therefore the frame is to be moved in a plane according to data in a memory, resulting in a previously determined pattern being made on the work piece. The needle is driven by a motor and an encoder output signal thereof is used as a criteria signal for controlling the position of the frame.
In the foregoing structure, once the setting of the work piece on the frame has been completed, no manual operation is required between an initiation and a termination of operation of the machine. Under such a situation, an operator can be free from watching the machine and can engage in another job. In this case, a digital indication is desirable as to how long he/she is out of engagement with the machine after initiation thereof.
However, in the conventional embroidering machine, though the number of stitches which indicates how often the needle drops into the work piece is known, this number fails to indicate the time required for the needle's transfer from a specific needle location to the next needle location. In addition, the length between two adjacent or successive needle locations is variable. Thus, even though the number of stitches is known, the operation time of the machine or the time duration between the initiation and termination of operation of the machine can not be forecasted precisely, and the operator is compelled to watch the machine whether it is in operation or not even while he/she is engaged in another job, with the result that the operator's productivity is limited.